In Love And Kindness
by Lucrecia Matthews
Summary: Basch had always been gentle towards Penelo. But kindness, in the eyes of a young girl, is oft confused with something far different. PeneloxBasch in game. Please R&R
1. Thank You

Chapter 1: Thank you

Penelo had spent most of her life living in the basement of a grand city. She recognized this; however she didn't need or want to be marked by it. She could see it in their faces. Ashe, who was next in line to be the Queen. Balthier, who had known a much grander side of life in his youth, and who had the pride to match even the most noble of gentry. Fran, who looked at her only as a child. And then there was Vaan. Vaan never looked at her as anything but a little sister. She wasn't as capable as him (though she didn't think him that capable to begin with…), she wasn't a warrior, and she wasn't a thief. She was Penelo. Nothing more, but compared to his companions, seemingly less. However, Basch cannot be left out of the picture.

Basch was something different altogether. She couldn't initially tell if he treated her as an equal because he felt they were all equal, or he felt as though his past significantly lowered him to "her level." Regardless of the activity or situation, Basch was always kind. He was a strong arm ready to shield her from harm, or to pat her on the back when consolation was needed. However, kindness, in the eyes of a young girl, can oft be misconstrued as something far different.

* * *

><p>The Paramina Rift was Hell frozen over. There was many a foe ready for anything that had survived long enough to still be warm and delicious to eat, and the endless cold was becoming a bit much for Penelo. Her desert clothing was not entirely well equipped to handle the bitter chill. When the journey was put on pause for the need of a warm fire and well earned sleep, Penelo wanted nothing more than to eat something hot, help set up the group's tent and spread out her bed roll. After all, she had been the one saddled with the particularly heavy piece of equipment. However she couldn't quite seem to catch a break.<p>

After all of the equipment was unpacked and a strong fire made, the group settled down on seats made of rocks found nearby. And that seemed as if that was all they were going to do. Penelo looked around curiously. She thought sure that Ashe would soon begin on dinner. It was, after all, her turn. Penelo was rather good at cooking; however she seemed to be pushed into the chore every night. She was quite certain, in fact, that it WAS Ashe's turn.

"So…" Vaan piped up. "When are you gonna start on dinner, Pen?" He asked.

"What? But it's…" she said slowly. "GAH! Never mind!" Penelo spat the words out and stormed off in search of her weapon.

She found it quickly and started off in any direction that wasn't back to camp. She continued walking steadily until she was out of eyeshot of the others. When she had been lost from their view she threw her spear into the snow as if it had offended her greatly. She began kicking the cliff face next to her. Out of love of her foot she decided to settle against it instead and rested her arms on her knees. She began to wonder why she even came on this stupid quest anyway. She regretted her thoughts and felt slightly ashamed. It was for her people. Her family. She knew this, but when she was treated as the personal slave of the people she had been stuck with for almost a year, she almost wanted to withdraw. What was she anyway? An orphan girl. She wasn't the best fighter. She wasn't the best at negotiations. She wasn't even the best cook!

"Why am I here?" She said aloud. She let her head fall onto her arms. At least it helped muffle her sobs.

"Are you alright?" It was Basch. The only one who felt chivalrous enough to even check and see if she was alright. And she most certainly was not.

"Yes…" She mumbled without lifting her head. "No…" She said looking up at the knight. "I'm not alright." She said, her eyes red and puffy.

She stood and brushed away her tears, perhaps trying to seem brave.

"I'll be fine. I just," She paused trying to come up with an excuse to get away from him.

She felt ashamed of her tears in front of him. She was supposed to be strong. She couldn't waste her time crying about nothing. Look at him. He'd been in a cage for two years. His former honor stripped from him by his very own flesh and blood. She couldn't cry in front of him.

"I just need to find something to cook." She said flashing a hopefully reassuring smile. "I'll be okay. You can head back to camp. No need to help, I'll be quick." She said turning her back to shield her red eyes, water beginning to well up against her will.

"Nonsense." Basch said drawing his sword and walking toward her.

He rubbed her back with a calloused, warm hand and pulled her chin to face him.

"There is a difference between being strong and being foolish." He said calmly, wiping a tear from her cheek.

She sniffed and started to retrieve her spear. "I'm sorry." She said rubbing her eyes with her palms. She retrieved her spear and joined him by his side. She looked at the ground as much as she could, avoiding looking him in the face.

"So tell me. What troubled you so?" Basch said looking at her confused.

"I… It was just nerves… It's getting at everyone. I just had a weak moment." She smiled as happily as she could but continued her downward gaze.

"Nay, Penelo. You need not be ashamed to tell me. It will stay between our ears." He said gazing her way again.

"I just… I'm sick of being the weakest in the group, and of course getting saddled with every chore! I've cooked for the group for the past five nights! Not to mention I carry the supply bag AND the tent! I'm just done. Just because I don't wave a sword as well as Vaan! I… I can't do this anymore." She stopped, resting her spear on the ground and placing a hand to her forehead leaving her bangs a mess.

"You're right. I am sorry." Basch said seemingly deep in thought.

"I… What? I mean… You shouldn't be sorry. It wasn't your fault." Penelo corrected herself reaching a hand out to metaphorically wave off his concern. She blushed pulling her hand back to her chest.

"Nay. It was my fault, because I didn't do anything to prevent it. I will the carry the tent if that's alright with you." He said gently. She could detect the presence of a small smile. He ruffled her hair which seemed more to correct the hairs gone astray than create them.

They quickly made work of a wolf and together they dragged it back to camp. Penelo felt closer to Basch. He seemed to be the only one who actually acknowledged the things she said. She liked feeling a little important sometimes.

When they entered camp little notice was taken of them. That is until Basch did something rather unexpected.

Basch threw the wolf at Balthier. "Clean it." He said. His tone was calm and steady, but Penelo could pick up tones of displeasure. "My Lady, I am sorry, but I believe it is your turn to cook the evening's meal, if I am not mistaken." Basch left the group, who seemed utterly shocked that he had said so much, let alone in such a manner of authority, and retrieved his bedroll. He walked to where Penelo was sitting and placed it around her shoulders.

"Th… Thank you… Basch." Penelo said in surprise. She looked into his eyes, for what seemed like the first time. They were a steel blue and quite possibly his most fascinating feature. Had she been standing her knees would probably be knocking.

Balthier may be the ladies man of the group, but Penelo had never felt such intimacy with him as she had just now with Basch, the quite, stoic knight that blushed when anything even remotely concerning the female specimen was mentioned in conversation. Penelo quickly averted her eyes for fear that she might fall into them and never escape. She blushed slightly and pulled the bedroll around herself hiding the hint of rouge.

After a rather amusing argument between Ashe and Balthier as to what was cooked in which order with what, a dinner of a rather odd looking soup was served. It didn't taste half bad, and Penelo enjoyed the feeling of warmth that accompanied its ingestion. When half of her soup had been slurped, she walked carefully over to Basch and sat the other half a portion on his knee.

"Thank you." She whispered in his ear, enjoying the smell of firewood and soap.

Penelo retreated to the tent for she was last watch tonight and wanted to get an early start at some much needed rest. Therefore, she could not see the slight twitch of a grin on Basch's face. However, it did stop him from rejecting her offering, and she felt comfortable with that.


	2. Warmth

**Author's Note: **I forgot to say it last time, but I don't own Final Fantasy or any of their characters or enemies or settings or their anything. I wish, but sadly no. Enjoy and please review.

* * *

><p>When Penelo awoke, she was quite surprised at the amount of sunlight that poured into the tent opening.<p>

"Oh no." She said quietly to herself, quickly untangling herself from her bed roll and charging out of the tent. "What happened? Why didn't anyone wake me for my watch!" She cried.

Balthier looked at her with an air of amusement and stated simply that Basch had taken her watch.

"He said that you needed your rest, so he would take the extra watch." He smirked and nibbled at a bit of bread.

Penelo felt almost devastated. She had indeed enjoyed the extra sleep, but she felt guitly and foolish for not waking up. She sank to the rock-chair that sat next to her and hid her brilliantly red face in her palms.

"Don't worry about it Pen." Vaan shouted from behind her, pulling together his things. "It wasn't your fault. I mean, it probably would have taken an army to wake you up anyway, you were snoring so loud." Vaan chuckled to himself.

"VAAN!" Penelo yelled. She picked up a bit of snow and chucked it at his head. She was pleased to see that she had hit her target. She sat down again and seethed at herself for a while, before a blast of icy-cold hit her back.

Vaan held his stomach and laughed. Penelo's face had seemed to reach a state of redness that one would only assume a tomato can achieve. In all her fruit like glory she began to throw more snow at her companion. Consequentially he began throwing more snow at her.

The event broke into an all out war, with almost intentional un-concern for their companions. Balthier was hit twice on his backside, which resulted in his entrance into battle. Fran, in her unending wisdom and maturity, decided it was best to sit this one out, and actually laughed a few times. Ashe, however, was not in the least bit amused when she returned from soothing the call of the wild. The minute she appeared within throwing distance of the rest of the group, she was beaned hard in her overly exposed cleavage. Leaving her white shirt, to both Vaan and Balthier's amusement, rather see through.

As entertaining as the whole ordeal had become, when a stray snow ball was catapulted into the tent, hitting Basch, who instantly awoke in what someone might have observed as fury, the games were put to an end and the tear down of camp was resumed.

When Basch emerged, shirtless and rather wet, Penelo felt instantly ashamed of her actions, however she couldn't help but giggle a little as she folded her bed roll. She watched as he stretched and rubbed the snow out of his hair. She blushed a little as he looked toward her and she returned to her bed roll.

She still felt bad about the fact that he had taken her watch. After all of her supplies were packed, she gingerly approached him to apologize and thank him. She rubbed the back of her leg with the toe of her boot and stammered out her gratitude. She was however quite surprised to hear him chuckle and her head shot to his face as he placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"Worry not, Penelo. Even if I had not offered to take the watch, it would have taken up the time trying to wake you. You are a most sound sleeper." Basch removed his hand and picked up the tent as the group started to move.

Penelo, however, was rooted to the spot. She had a slight tingling in her stomach as the man withdrew himself, for as his hand gently glided off of her shoulder, his thumb just barely graced her chin sending a shiver down her spine. She almost felt herself swoon, but she instantly corrected herself, and grabbed her gear, scurrying after the others.

Penelo made a point of walking behind him. Not just so he could not see her, in her red cheeked glory, but so that she could gaze at him, with the explanation that she was simply looking ahead. She noticed now that she quite liked looking at him. He was not unattractive, nor was he as cleanly handsome as Balthier, but he had a certain rugged edge that drew Penelo to him.

For a man who had spent two years in a prison, he was surprisingly well toned, not simply a pile of walking bones covered in flesh. She had watched over the course of the trip how he had steadily started to regain some weight. However, when she first observed it, it was strictly on a healer/patient bases. Now it seemed different. It seemed that the change in his body simply fascinated her.

The beasts of the Rift seemed to become easier to deal with as their strength grew, and whilst she stayed at the back and made sure no one fell, Penelo glanced at the man as his sword cut down the enemies ahead. She smiled as she made a mental note of the movements his muscles made as his arm thrust itself forward. She shook her head and continued the march up the snowy mountain.

* * *

><p>"We are almost there." Balthier shouted over his shoulder to the rest of the group. "However, I suggest that we make camp here. It's getting dark. We do not want to take any chances this close."<p>

"Aye." Basch agreed, setting down his gear and stretching. He looked like he could go on for miles.

Penelo on the other hand, though thankful for the lessening of her load, was ready to collapse. She smiled as best as she could between her fits of shivers. She set down her medic bag and her bed roll and sat on the latter.

"Penelo, will you help me set up the tent?" Basch asked beginning to unpack the tent bag. He beckoned her over.

"M-Me?" Penelo said pointing gingerly at herself. "Of... Of course!" She said hurrying to his side.

She tried to focus on unfurling the tent, but she couldn't help stealing a few glances at the knight. She felt almost ashamed. She shook her head trying to rid him from her head, which was difficult for her, being so close that she could smell the scent of soap in his hair. She smiled, but quickly shook her head again, trying to focus once again on the tent.

"Is something the matter? Penelo?" Basch said looking at her quizzically.

_He said my name..._ "What? Huh? No. I mean. It's nothing." Penelo said shaking her golden plaits once again. _Of course he said my name. He says my name all the time... Stupid stupid..._ "Stupid..." Penelo murmured under her breath.

"Pardon?" Basch asked looking at her again.

"N-Nothing. I was just talking to myself." She said smiling nervously.

* * *

><p>After camp was set up and dinner was finished, Penelo attempted to get some early rest so she could take her watch. The other's stayed awake a little longer, lingering over empty soup bowls and flickering embers.<p>

Basch was the first to retire to the tent. He gently pulled apart the opening and carefully stepped in. He could see Penelo huddled at the end of the tent. She was shivering so hard, but she appeared to be asleep. He carefully and quietly picked up his bedroll and walked over to her. He laid it over her gently and lay down beside her. He put an arm around her and held her close in the hopes that she would obtain some heat from him.

She seemed to stop shaking and Basch relaxed, hoping to get some sleep himself. In her sleep Penelo turned around and cuddled herself against his chest, her body seeking more of his body heat. Basch looked down at her in surprise at first, but then smiled and pet her hair. He laid his head back down and closed his eyes, his arm still wrapped loosely around Penelo.


	3. Longing

Author's Note: Wow. It's been so long since I've written anything. I feel terrible. I've been going through lots of changes, and so it's hard to pick it back up where you left off. BUT! Hopefully I'll be writing a lot more.

So, I kinda AU'd it up and mostly forgot that Larsa was with them. I haven't played through this part of the game in a while, but I'm going to replay it so hopefully it will be more accurate in the future. My sincerest apologies.

As always, I do not own the characters or story, just what I imagined went on behind the scenes ;)

Thanks for reading. If you like it, please review.

LOVE,

Lucy

* * *

><p>When she awoke, the tent was empty except for Basch and herself. Her head rested gently on his chest, and she dared not move. His left hand gently curled into her undone golden hair, his right perched on her shoulder.<p>

She felt her face flush red. Had the rest of the group seen them like this? She couldn't imagine what the rest of them would have thought. Slowly, she loosened herself from his grasp, slid on her boots, and crept out of the tent as quietly as she could.

Vaan, Ashe, and Fran sat at a dying fire drinking what Penelo assumed tea. The mood didn't seem strained. Perhaps no one had seen. She silently prayed as she collected some of the hot liquid in the pot hanging over the fire. The cup was pleasantly warm against her cold hands.

"So." Vaan turned to the young girl. "How'd you sleep?" he snickered slightly.

"It was… fine?" She tried to play it off.

"Oh, yeah? I'd imagine so. Pretty nice pillow you had." He rolled his eyes and resumed poking the fire with a sharp stick.

Penelo looked at her feet.

"Just waiting on the men then?" She piped up.

"Hey!" Vaan shot her an evil look, and she smiled.

"Balthier sleeps, yes. As does Basch, apparently." Fran stood and started walking back towards Balthier's tent to attempt to wake the sleeping pirate.

"I suppose I should wake Basch." Ashe stood.

"NO." Penelo jolted up. "I mean. No it's fine. I'll do it." She smiled awkwardly. "I have to roll up my bed roll anyway."

Penelo walked back to the tent, pulling the door flap open, and closing it behind her.

Just looking at him made something ache in her stomach. She quietly walked to her pack and retrieved her hair ribbons. Gazing back to Basch's sleeping figure, she nervously braided her hair. Carefully, she reached over and pushed his arm.

"Basch." She shook his arm. "Basch, you need to wake up. We have to get going." Shaking harder. "Bas-AHHHH."

With one sweeping moment the man grabbed the small girl and pinned her underneath him. His eyes were wild, and had a strange look about them. She gazed up at him, wide-eyed, gasping for air.

"Penelo. My Gods. You scared me." Basch released the girl from his grasp, but continued to hover over her. "I did not realize… My apologies." Basch stood and offered his hand to the girl, who looked quite frightened, to say the least.

"I didn't… I didn't hurt you? Did I?" He sheepishly looked to his side, almost ashamed that he had reacted in such a way. "I didn't mean to over react, you simply startled me."

"Don't worry about it Basch." She chuckled rubbing her neck. "You didn't hurt me. I should have been louder. It was my fault." she started for the tent door, but the knight caught her arm.

"I do apologize, Penelo." The blue of his eyes shown like sapphires, and it seemed that his hand lingered on her wrist a little too long.

"It's really no problem. We're still waiting on Balthier anyway." Penelo smiled her warmest, and rushed to place a small kiss on his cheek.

With that she left the tent, leaving as the man touched his cheek and watched her go.

* * *

><p>After packing, the group headed out at a steady pace. Having gotten used to the cold and stronger from the journey, they easily bested their foes all the way to the summit.<p>

When they arrived to Mt. Bur-Omisace the sight was both beautiful and sad. Scavengers, and survivors gathered around make shift fire pits looking out over magnificent views. Many of the refugees walked in the snow with no shoes. Penelo's mood saddened.

Seeing these people in this condition reminded her of the orphan's of Lowtown. It reminded her of herself.

There were a few medical tents set up, as most of the refugees were injured or suffering from frost bite. As the rest of the gang ascended through the city to see the Grand Kiltias, Penelo elected to stay behind and see to the wounded, helping the healers in the medical tents as best as she could.

* * *

><p>The group returned after quite some time. Penelo began to wonder what they were up to and started her journey up to the temple. She was met half way by a very unhappy Vaan.<p>

"More cold. We have to go through more cold." He whimpered his lower lip in a clear pout.

"Oh please. It's not like it's any warmer here." Balthier nudged the boy.

"So we're already to take off?" Penelo asked as Basch, Ashe, and Fran brought up the rest of the group.

"Unfortunately, yes. However, I suggest that we rest for the night here. Stock up and head out in the morning." Balthier looked to the rest of the group for approval.

Vaan's head bobbed up and down, and the gang seemed to be in agreement.

* * *

><p>The Kiltias granted them three spacious tents with cots, although Penelo thought that it was a bit unfair to let them have all of that space. They all settled into there normal sleeping groups, and were delighted that they could all get a good night's rest without worrying about keeping watch.<p>

Penelo claimed the smallest tent first, laying out her bedroll on the cot. She was soon joined by Basch. The color of her face began to change as she thought about waking up in his arms. Shaking the thoughts from her head, she continued to straighten out her blankets on top of the cot.

"You do not mind if I bunk with you tonight?" Basch asked, his voice sounded harsh, almost as if he was catching a cold.

"Not at all, Basch. Your voice sounds kind of funny. Are you doing alright?" she asked walking towards him.

"I am sure it is but a cold. It will leave with time." He massaged his throat.

"You don't sound so hot." She placed a soft hand on his forehead and cheeks, checking his temperature. "Let me at least put some tea on for you." She left the tent and went to the fire pit out front, filling a kettle with water and herbs and hanging it above the fire.

Basch's hand slowly traveled to his cheeks. He was consistently dumb-founded by the girl. She was so young and fragile, and yet so strong. If only she could see it for herself. Something stirred in his stomach as the thought of her arm gently lying on his stomach crossed his mind.

But to have feelings other than friendship for the girl would be out of the question. He was 20 years her senior. However, he continued to feel heat in his cheeks at the sound of her name.


End file.
